Access says db is read-only, but the properties say it isn't

[tedster]

This is driving me crazy. I have an application that generates flat HTML pages from templates and a couple Access databases. All of a sudden the application just won't let me open or modify the databases involved.

If I try to go into the db directly by opening Access first and then using File > Open, Access says the db is read-only. But if I look under properties, read-only is not checked.

I tried checking the read-only box, applying that and then unchecking. Still, I cannot modify the content. I've been using this app for two years on Win98 and Access2000 with zero troubles. Two weeks ago I migrated to Access 2003 on XP - but I;ve been using the app successfully for those two weeks.

And now, all of a sudden it's just stuck. I'll be grateful for any ideas people have

[mattur]

Assuming there's enough disk space, first thing I'd check is permissions on the file system - Access needs to create an .ldb file when opening an .mdb for read/write.

Also check the .ldb file is not hanging around after Access is closed. Come right out of access, and check whether the .ldb file is still there. If it is, delete it and try opening the db again. (You may need to change xp's setting in Explorer to show hidden files).

It's possible the database file is corrupted. Make a backup copy and then try a "Tools -> Database Utilities -> Compact and Repair...". You can also try creating a new db then importing all the objects from the old .mdb file.

HTH

[tedster]

Thanks, mattur - you at least helped me discover that the problem is not exactly what I thought. I had already done much of what you suggested, but had not thought of creating a new database.

So I went to try that and discovered that File > New is grayed out in Access, along with "Save As". Looks like Access itself is messed up.

So, rather than troubleshoot any further, I did an uninstall and reinstall of Access - but still no joy in Mudville. Access seems to be stuck in some kind of demo mode, even after a full reinstall.

Any further ideas? I'm a bit tired of searching the MS Knoweldge Base at this point. By the way, this is a three week old Sony VAIO - plenty of everything available in the system - and Access is also a new purchase that worked fine for two weeks.

[mattur]

Sorry tedster, I've never come across this issue. Maybe some sort-of MS online-activation side effect(?). Does the event log show anything?

[tedster]

At this point, I think I've zeroed in on something - will report if it leads to a fix.

This is a new computer and it was a floor model. It originally shipped from Sony with a trial version of MS Office that was supposed to expire 60 days after it's first use - but somewhere along the line the contents of that directory were deleted, probably while it was on the sales floor. No big thing, I thought at the time.

However, the timing of this problem is almost exactly 60 days after this box hit the sales floor. So now I'm suspecting a registry issue of some sort, tied to that trial period and generated by an improper uninstall of the trial version.

I got onto this line of thought by noticing that the same efffect that is plaguing Access also began happening with Word, PowerPoint and Excel. However, a reinstall of Office Standard fixed those two apps, but a reinstall did not fix Access - which is on another disk.

At this point I may just go back and try to install an older version of Access in another directory. Only thing is the data is already converted to 2003 format - and without write privileges I cannot change it back to something older. And if I revert to the last backup of the db, then I lose a couple weeks of work.

[txbakers]

since it's that new, how about a complete re-install of the OS? that would restore the registry to the original specs, and you can delete the demo and install the new fully licensed version.

[tedster]

I've been toying with that idea - it would be the durefire fix, I think. But I must have put in 30 hours installing and configuring applications on that machine. I shudder to think about doing it all over again.

[txbakers]

that is indeed the WORST thing about Windows.

The friggin OS. Sometimes the registry gets so fouled up, or other stuff gets corrupted and there really is no other fix - either live with the quirks, or start over.

Never had that problem with my Mac......

I remember the very first week I owned an IBM Aptiva I was on the phone with tech support and his suggestion was to f-disk and run the recovery CD.

It's gotten a little better, granted, but it's still a royal pain to do that all over.

[lZakl]

... a reinstall of Office Standard fixed those two apps, but a reinstall did not fix Access - which is on another disk.

The "other disk" that you're reffering to is Access 2003 correct? Office Standard does not come with Access. (I am pretty sure you already knew that, but...) So you must have the Access 2003 disk to re-install.

Also, I have had problems with MSOffice products fouling up before, and I had to do a complete uninstall using a freshly downloaded program called "Office Removal Wizard". For some reason the removal wizard that came with Office, wasn't working, but this tool did the trick. It might just give you the flexibility you need to dig out those old files and to give you a clean install, without the residue of that cursed "trial version". I'd try that befor a system re-work. It's woth a shot! ;0)

-- Zak

[tedster]

So you must have the Access 2003 disk to re-install.

Yes, but after three times and the situtaion still comes out the same, I know I've got to try something a bit different.

Office Removal Wizard

Thanks for that tip - sounds like it's worth a try.

[tedster]

Update time: many hours into a Microsoft support incident, I have a scheduled conference with an Access team engineer on Monday, and this problem is still not resolved.

However, if someone else finds thread this and is seeing similar symptoms, there is one possibility that turned out NOT to be the cause in my case, but it might be the cause in yours.

There is a known conflict between Norton Internet Security and Access 2003 - if NIS is installed before Access, some of these symptoms I've mentioned may show up. This holds true even if you disable NIS for the Access install.

For more information about this conflict, see: [support.microsoft.com...]

The solution is apparently a complete uninstall for NIS before you install Access 2003. And I do mean a complete uninstall - if the Control Panel's regular "Add/Remove Programs" fails for you in eliminating every trace of NIS, then you need the special utility Norton makes available here [service1.symantec.com].

At the moment I have un-installed and re-installed Access 10 times and the problem remains. We've looked for corrupted dll files and finally ran a monitor that recorded everything that happened on the system during a 90 second period when I started Access and tried to open a database. That 90 second log was almost 8 MB!

When the MS team finally helps me fix whatever is plaguing my installation, I'll post again.

<edited to fix spelling>

[edited by: tedster at 4:15 pm (utc) on April 3, 2005]

[txbakers]

No offense to the nice people at Symantec, but I've found that NIS is a total piece of junk.

I always uninstall that wherever I find it. It makes sense that NIS is causing the problems.

IMHO you are much better off with a hardware firewall, even a cheap router/switch from Linksys or SMC.

Sorry you are having those problems Ted.

[tedster]

I've heard those sentiments about NIS before, tx, and sometimes felt the same myself. But in this case, even with no firewall or AV present on the machine at all, a new installation of Access still turns out to be defective.

My greatest fear is that I will need to re-format. Oh my, the work I've already put into getting a production environment configured! This is not a prospect I even want to think about.

[txbakers]

reformatting is NEVER fun. I hate it.

[killroy]

First thing I'd do is take your mdb elsewhere and see if it works on a known good install of Access. So firstrule out a problem with the file. Another thing I do first thing before I mess around finding problems is install a little tool called TaskInfo. It's running by default on all machines I ever touch. It'll tell you which files are currently open on your system and what processes ahve a handle on them. This can often unearth obscure processes accessing your files and causeing lockups and read-only behaviour.

Good Luck Tedster!

SN

[tedster]

Thanks, killroy. Yes, the mdb files are fine on other machines - and working well online as a site search. I will try taskinfo, but I assume that filemon has already sent Microsoft all that data and more. It generated an 8mb log file in just 90 seconds of activity.

But now the plot thickens. Last night I began a Word document for a client. Today, MSWord will not allow me to edit that document (or any others), and I cannot create any new Word files. Same goes for Excel and PowerPoint.

Whatever this danged critter is, it has now eaten all Office applications. At least I have a new clue!